Career and Education Opportunities for Receptionists in Pasadena, California

For those living in the Pasadena, California area, there are many career and education opportunities for receptionists. There are currently 130,800 working receptionists in California; this should grow by 18% to 154,300 working receptionists in the state by 2016. This is better than the nation as a whole, where employment opportunities for receptionists are expected to grow by about 15.2%. Receptionists generally answer inquiries and obtain information for general public, customers, and other interested parties.

Receptionists earn about $12 per hour or $26,680 annually on average in California and about $11 per hour or $24,550 annually on average nationally. Incomes for receptionists are not quite as good as in the overall category of Clerical in California, and not quite as good as the overall Clerical category nationally.

There are ten schools within twenty-five miles of Pasadena where you can study to be a receptionist, among 210 schools of higher education total in the Pasadena area. The most common level of education for receptionists is a high school diploma or GED. You can expect to spend only a short time studying to be a receptionist if you already have a high school diploma.

CAREER DESCRIPTION: Receptionist

Receptionist video from the State of New Jersey Dept. of Labor and Workforce Development

In general, receptionists answer inquiries and obtain information for general public, customers, and other interested parties. They also provide information regarding activities conducted at establishment; location of departments, offices, and employees within organization.

Receptionists operate telephone switchboard to respond to, screen and forward calls, providing data, taking messages and scheduling appointments. They also greet persons entering establishment, decide on nature and purpose of visit, and direct or escort them to specific destinations. Equally important, receptionists have to file and maintain archives. They are often called upon to collect, sort, distribute and ready mail, messages and courier deliveries. They are expected to furnish data related to establishment such as location of departments or offices, employees within the organization, or services provided. Finally, receptionists transmit data or documents to customers, using computers, mail, or fax machines.

Every day, receptionists are expected to be able to articulate ideas and problems. It is also important that they listen to and understand others in meetings.

It is important for receptionists to perform administrative support tasks such as proofreading, transcribing handwritten data, and operating calculators or computers to coordinate with pay archives, invoices, balance sheets and other documents. They are often called upon to hear and resolve complaints from customers and public. They also receive payment and record receipts for services. They are sometimes expected to perform duties such as taking care of plants and straightening magazines to maintain lobby or reception area. Somewhat less frequently, receptionists are also expected to conduct tours or deliver talks describing features of public facility such as a historic site or national park.

Receptionists sometimes are asked to take orders for products or materials and send them to the proper departments to be filled. and calculate and quote rates for tours or other products and services. And finally, they sometimes have to greet persons entering establishment, decide on nature and purpose of visit, and direct or escort them to specific destinations.

Like many other jobs, receptionists must believe in cooperation and coordination and be reliable.

Correspondence Clerk. Compose letters in reply to requests for merchandise, damage claims, credit and other information, delinquent accounts, or unsatisfactory services. Duties may include gathering data to formulate reply and typing correspondence.

Courtroom Clerk. Perform clerical duties in court of law; prepare docket of cases to be called; secure information for judges; and contact witnesses, attorneys, and litigants to obtain information for court.

File Clerk. File correspondence, cards, and other records in alphabetical or numerical order or according to the filing system used. Locate and remove material from file when requested.

Insurance Processing Clerk. Process applications for, changes to, and cancellation of insurance policies. Duties include reviewing insurance applications to ensure that all questions have been answered, compiling data on insurance policy changes, changing policy records to conform to insured party's specifications, compiling data on lapsed insurance policies to determine automatic reinstatement according to company policies, canceling insurance policies as requested by agents, and verifying the accuracy of insurance company records.

Library Clerk. Compile records, sort and shelve books, and issue and receive library materials such as pictures, cards, slides and microfilm. Locate library materials for loan and replace material in shelving area, stacks, or files according to identification number and title. Register patrons to permit them to borrow books, periodicals, and other library materials.

Municipal Clerk. Draft agendas and bylaws for town or city council; record minutes of council meetings; answer official correspondence; keep fiscal records and accounts; and prepare reports on civic needs.

Office Clerk. Perform duties too varied and diverse to be classified in any specific office clerical occupation, requiring limited knowledge of office management systems and procedures. Clerical duties may be assigned in accordance with the office procedures of individual establishments and may include a combination of answering telephones, bookkeeping, typing or word processing, stenography, office machine operation, and filing.

Order Clerk. Receive and process incoming orders for materials, merchandise, or services such as repairs, installations, or rental of facilities. Duties include informing customers of receipt, prices, and delays; preparing contracts; and handling complaints.

Payroll Bookkeeper. Compile and post employee time and payroll data. May compute employees' time worked, production, and commission. May compute and post wages and deductions. May prepare paychecks.

Procurement Clerk. Compile information and records to draw up purchase orders for procurement of materials and services.

Statistical Clerk. Compile and compute data according to statistical formulas for use in statistical studies. May perform actuarial computations and compile charts and graphs for use by actuaries. Includes actuarial clerks.

Weighter. Weigh, measure, and check materials, supplies, and equipment for the purpose of keeping relevant records. Duties are primarily clerical by nature.

EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES: Receptionist Training

North-West College-Pomona - Pomona, CA

North-West College-Pomona, 134 W Holt Ave, Pomona, CA 91768. North-West College-Pomona is a small college located in Pomona, California. It is a private for-profit school with primarily less-than 2-year programs. It has 119 students and an admission rate of 87%. North-West College-Pomona has a less than one year program in Medical Reception/Receptionist.

American Pacific College - Van Nuys, CA

American Pacific College, 14435 Sherman Way, Suite 208, Van Nuys, CA 91405. American Pacific College is a small college located in Van Nuys, California. It is a private for-profit school with primarily less-than 2-year programs and has 20 students. American Pacific College has a less than one year program in General Office Occupations and Clerical Services which graduated three students in 2008.

Premiere Career College - Irwindale, CA

Premiere Career College, 12901 Ramona Blvd, Irwindale, CA 91706-3746. Premiere Career College is a small college located in Irwindale, California. It is a private for-profit school with primarily 2-year programs and has 438 students. Premiere Career College has a less than one year program in General Office Occupations and Clerical Services which graduated sixteen students in 2008.

Citrus College - Glendora, CA

Citrus College, 1000 W Foothill Blvd, Glendora, CA 91741-1899. Citrus College is a large college located in Glendora, California. It is a public school with primarily 2-year programs and has 13,501 students. Citrus College has a one to two year program in Health Unit Coordinator/Ward Clerk.

Long Beach City College - Long Beach, CA

Long Beach City College, 4901 E. Carson St., Long Beach, CA 90808-1706. Long Beach City College is a large college located in Long Beach, California. It is a public school with primarily 2-year programs and has 26,097 students. Long Beach City College has a two to four year program in Health Unit Coordinator/Ward Clerk.

North-West College-West Covina - West Covina, CA

North-West College-West Covina, 2121 W Garvey Ave, West Covina, CA 91790. North-West College-West Covina is a small college located in West Covina, California. It is a private for-profit school with primarily less-than 2-year programs. It has 390 students and an admission rate of 85%. North-West College-West Covina has a less than one year program in Medical Reception/Receptionist.

InfoTech Career College - Bellflower, CA

InfoTech Career College, 16900 Lakewood Blvd Ste 209, Bellflower, CA 90706. InfoTech Career College is a small college located in Bellflower, California. It is a private for-profit school with primarily less-than 2-year programs. It has 50 students and an admission rate of 80%. InfoTech Career College has a less than one year program in General Office Occupations and Clerical Services which graduated five students in 2008.

North-West College-Glendale - Glendale, CA

North-West College-Glendale, 221 North Brand, Glendale, CA 91203. North-West College-Glendale is a small college located in Glendale, California. It is a private for-profit school with primarily less-than 2-year programs. It has 116 students and an admission rate of 81%. North-West College-Glendale has a less than one year program in Medical Reception/Receptionist.

CES College - Los Angeles, CA

CES College, 3251 West 6th Street, Suite 202, Los Angeles, CA 90020-5020. college located in Los Angeles, California. It is a private not-for-profit school with primarily less-than 2-year programs and has 26 students. CES College has a less than one year program in General Office Occupations and Clerical Services which graduated twenty-one students in 2008.

Adelante Career Institute - Van Nuys, CA

Adelante Career Institute, 14547 Titus, Suite 100, Van Nuys, CA 91402. Adelante Career Institute is a small school located in Van Nuys, California. It is a private for-profit school with primarily less-than 2-year programs. It has 95 students and an admission rate of 89%. Adelante Career Institute has a less than one year program in General Office Occupations and Clerical Services which graduated two students in 2008.

LOCATION INFORMATION: Pasadena, California

Pasadena, California photo by Morgoth666

Pasadena is located in Los Angeles County, California. It has a population of over 143,080, which has grown by 6.8% over the last ten years. The cost of living index in Pasadena, 167, is far greater than the national average. New single-family homes in Pasadena are priced at $298,000 on average, which is near the state average. In 2008, thirty-nine new homes were constructed in Pasadena, down from one hundred thirty-three the previous year.

The top three industries for women in Pasadena are educational services, health care, and professional, scientific, and technical services. For men, it is professional, scientific, and technical services, educational services, and accommodation and food services. The average commute to work is about 26 minutes. More than 41.3% of Pasadena residents have a bachelor's degree, which is higher than the state average. The percentage of residents with a graduate degree, 17.8%, is higher than the state average.

The unemployment rate in Pasadena is 9.7%, which is less than California's average of 12.3%.

The percentage of Pasadena residents that are affiliated with a religious congregation, 58.1%, is more than both the national and state average. Pasadena Church of God, All Saints Episcopal Church and Grace United Methodist Church are among the churches located in Pasadena. The most prominent religious groups are the Catholic Church, the Southern Baptist Convention and the LDS (Mormon) Church.

Pasadena is home to the Annandale Golf Course and the Hill Avenue Branch Pasadena Public Library as well as Victory Park and Lower Arroyo Park. Shopping centers in the area include Hastings Ranch Plaza Shopping Center, Hastings Ranch Shopping Center and Plaza Pasadena Shopping Center. Visitors to Pasadena can choose from Best Western Pasadena Inn, Best Western Colorado Inn Pasa and Astro Motel Pasadena for temporary stays in the area.